Braehead Evangelical Church

Address

Also known as:

St. Monan's Congregational Church (1947)The church was sold in 1947 and became a Congregational Church.

St. Monan's Parish Church (1939)The church was joined with St. Monan's Old.

St. Monan's Braehead (1929)After the union of the United Free Church and The Church of Scotland, the church became St. Monan's Braehead.

St. Monan's United Free Church (1900)Following the union of the Free Church and the United Presbyterian Church, the church became St. Monan's United Free Church

St. Monan's Free Church (1870)The Free Church at St. Monan's began in 1869 and the church was built the following year.

St Monan's Evangelical Church

Introduction

The church was built in 1870 as a Free church and is still in religious use at present, affiliated to the federation of evangelical churches (FIEC). It was designed and built by David Horne and is situated at the roadside, surrounded by residential buildings.

Description (exterior)

The walls are built of sandstone and the church has a scottish slate roof. The building consists of a main body, a tower at the southeast corner and a hall to the east.

The east elevation of the church is mostly obscured by the hall.

The south elevation elevation is built of squared sandstone and there are two buttresses supporting the wall. Between the two buttresses, there are three plate tracery windows and above this there is a projecting string. There is also a plate tracery rose window. In the apex of the roof there is another projecting string, above which there are three blind arches.

The west elevation of the church is built of sandstone rubble and has four clear glass windows.

The view of the north elevation of the church is partially obstructed by nearby residential buildings. There is a triangular plate tracery window with quatrefoil lights, above which there is a circular vent.

The tower, which is to the south east of the main has two stages with squared sandstone walls and a Scottish slate roof, which has bands of fish scale slate. The east elevation of the tower is partially obscured by the hall. There is a an arched window with a wooden infill. On the second stage there are two louvered arches with circular openings in their heads with a band of decorative stonework above. In the south elevation of the tower there is a door with a quatrefoil cut into its head and a hood mould. Above this the south elevation of the tower mirrors the east elevation. The west and north elevations of the tower are obscured by the roof of the church and surrounding buildings.

A hall on the south elevation of the main church appears to be a later addition.

Description (interior)

The interior of this church is rectangular and very austere, in keeping with the ethos of the evangelical church. Entry is by a porch at the base of the tower at the south east corner of the building. From this a door leads westwards into the church.

A simple worship area is furnished with traditional wooden pews in three blocks, separated by east and west aisles. The congregation faces a plain carved wooden pulpit, accessed by a short staircase on its west side. In front of the pulit is an enclosure of panelled wood fitted with plain wooden chairs for a choir and a small electric organ.

The roof, which is timbered, is pitched, above walls which have wooden panelling to waist height and plainted plaster in the upper area below the roof.

The rear wall has a high circular window with plate tracery fitted with clear and decorative coloured glass, and below this there is a three-light rectangfular clear glass window. The east wall has four tall pointed arch windows with clear glass. On the south wall above the pulpit there is a triangular window with gently curved sides, with plate tracery and clear and decorative coloured glass.

Two memorials to past ministers are on the south wall, on either side of the pulpit.

From the porch a further door leads into the extension which has an additional worship area with its own pulpit, minister's and elders' chairs, individual congregational chairs, and facilities for music. The extension also has ancillary accommodation, including a kitchen. Doors from the west of the church also give access to this area of the complex.

People / Organisations:

Name

Role

Dates

Notes

Mr David Horne

Architect

1870

The architect and builder of the church.

Free Church

Denomination

1870-1900

United Free Church

Denomination

1900-1929

Church of Scotland

Denomination

1929-1947

Congregational Union

Denomination

1947-1964

The Chapel became independent of the Congregational Union.

Evangelical

Denomination

1964-NOW

Events:

Church: Build/construction (1870)The architect and builder of the church was David Horne.